A Thousand and One Uses for Jungle Plants

This is the second part in my series on traveling to the Bornean jungle village of Long Pasia. Start from the beginning here.

So far, my trip to the Bornean jungle village of Long Pasia had been an exhilarating and eye-opening time. From going fishing on riverboat canoes to participating in the rice harvest, I had deeply enjoyed learning about life in the village. Understanding my great interest in exploring the dense and exotic nature of Borneo all around us, Boi and Balang decided today would be the day we would enter the jungle. The village of Long Pasia is situated on a hilly clearing next to a winding river. However, walk 15 minutes in any direction and you’ll soon encounter thick jungle. No trails or markings exist, only miles of untamed wilderness.

Needless to say, having seasoned guides when venturing into the forests is essential to avoid getting lost. Additionally, there are countless kinds of wildlife around in the jungle, from varieties of insects to monkeys to wild boar. So, when we got up early to go into the jungle that day, Boi and Balang brought along hunting weapons in addition to their normal jungle gear. You never know when you might stumble across something dangerous or something tasty.

While preparing to head out, I was instructed to wear the rubber shoes and leech socks I had picked up at the frontier town of Sipitang before driving on the bumpy mountain road to Long Pasia. Additionally, I was to wear long sleeves and pants to reduce the target areas for the jungle creatures to attack.

Jungle Fruit

Following the trail away from the village, we quickly entered less cultivated land. Every few minutes, Boi would bring our company to a halt to present to us – the ever curious – a wondrous new jungle plant. He knew every plant around his domain and their varied uses.

There was wild passion fruit, which Boi with his trusty machete sliced off with a swing of his blade, catching the bright yellow fruit in his hand as they fell. He then trimmed the stem off, sliced the top of the fruit open, and used the thin stem as a stirring rod to scrape off all the gooey seeds from the passion fruit. The prepared fruit was now a ready-made smoothie shot, and he downed it in one go. I followed suit with the stirring rod he handed me, and the taste of the wild passion fruit was electric. The bright yellow membrane inside the fruit burned in a sweet tangy citrus cocktail as it hit my tongue. It was delicious, but Boi warned me not to drink too many, as passion fruit seeds are a natural laxative.

Next, he spotted some wild coffee and cocoa bean plants.

He collected the coffee beans to roast when home, and he sliced off a few pods from the chocolate plant. The raw cocoa was completely unlike what I had imagined. When Boi chopped it open and revealed its insides, a gooey white membrane surrounded the individual chocolate pods.

He offered me a pod and advised me to chew it but not to swallow the seed, as it could also cause stomach issues if not properly cooked. It definitely had a chocolatey taste but also a sour, fruity flavor. Standing where I was in this remote location, it was surreal to reflect how far removed this plant was from a processed, uniform, packaged supermarket chocolate bar.

Jungle Plants

There were also numerous other plants that Boi pointed out along the way. A particular fern that when brushed would literally shrink up and curl away from you. Its response was so sudden and lifelike that it reminded me of some of the otherworldly plants from the Harry Potter series.

There was a stiff reed that Boi started playing like a flute. A long blade of some grass that oozed a silky substance when pressed. Village children would use it to make and blow bubbles, Balang – my helpful guide and translator – explained. A bean pod that turned into a makeshift slingshot to shoot at your friends. Another type of grass that would make a high-pitched squeaking sound when bent into a particular shape. Boi explained that children would often ask him to make them one of these jungle squeak toys. These grasses were also relevant for hunting.

Beyond mere whimsies and toys, there is also an extensive body of naturalist knowledge concerning the Bornean plants and their practical uses to treat ailments among the people of Long Pasia. Boi also pointed out various plants used for medical purposes. Overall though, Boi was most excited when demonstrating the fun and playful uses for the plants he knew. His eyes lit up in a gleeful glow, and I imagine he recalled his childhood – back when Disney Frozen toys had not yet invaded his land, and the jungle was as much playground as it was source of sustenance. For all his fearsome hunting capabilities and paternal tribal responsibilities, Boi was incredibly playful and gentle. His warm smile made me feel at ease even when venturing further out into the forests.

In addition to the beautiful rolling hills, I also enjoyed the frequent grazing we did while walking. Sugar cane reeds sprouted out from the rich soil of the land between the deep jungle and the cultivated rice fields of Long Pasia. Boi sliced them with ease, cleaning them up with fluid strokes, like a vegetable peeler, into ready-to-eat sticks and handed them out.

When I stared blankly at the wood-like texture of the sugar cane, unsure how to eat it, Balang demonstrated by chomping into it, chewing it, and then spitting out the pulp. I did the same, biting into what felt like particle board or splintered wood. Sucking the pulp, I tasted a definite sweetness along with a grassy aftertaste. Eating more than a few bites was a real workout on my jaw.

This was another revelation as to the origin of one of our common household ingredients that we put in almost everything on the western table. The processing done by a sugar mill was instead being done by my teeth.

Then there was the fruit that I still find hard to believe is real: buah ice crem aka ice cream fruit. When I heard Balang point to a tree and say, “ice cream fruit”, I thought he was joking. He was serious though. One of the little things I love about traveling to different countries is how many fruits exist that we don’t even know about in the United States.

This was one of them; a long, green pod hanging from a tree and that you twist open to reveal a row of fluffy, fur-like seeds. You peel off and eat the white tufts surrounding the seed, discarding the seed itself. The taste is delicious, resembling fluffy, yogurt-flavored ice cream. This was the most delicious of all the different plants we tried in and around Long Pasia.

I spent a long time hanging by the ice cream fruit tree while we took a break, eagerly plucking the long beans off of the tree and twisting them open to reveal the unique fruit.

Jungle Creatures

And then there were the insects. As soon as we left the village, the bugs became omnipresent and made their presence known. Trouncing through a muddy patch, we felt a thousand butterflies flutter past us. There were massive ones with spectacular colors the likes of which I’d never really seen before. Below is a slideshow of pictures of other strange and colorful insects I saw in the Bornean jungle:

One creature in particular stuck out to me. On the ground, I also saw a monstrous looking caterpillar; bulging, translucent, and squirming. It was otherworldly.

About an hour into our trek, we came to a large clearing in the road. To my dismay, I saw stacks and stacks of massive logs from trees knocked down and piled up to be transported out of the forest. I found out from Balang that logging companies have been chopping down the precious trees in the forests near Long Pasia. Those companies own the logging rights to the trees that house some of the world’s most exotic and biodiverse wildlife in the world. As I looked off ahead at the trees not yet cut down, I saw leaves rustling at the very treetops. I heard the screeching of monkeys. Being a huge animal lover, especially of monkeys, I craned my neck and squinted to make out any figures I could see in the swaying branches. Unfortunately, the monkeys kept their distance with extreme caution. I learned that, occasionally, they were caught and eaten by Long Pasians.

However, I would later find out that these woods did still contain rare and unique creatures, even if they hid from any human presence. In fact, a pangolin – sadly very rare these days even in its native Bornean habit – was spotted via camera trotting around in those forests a week or so before my adventure.

Into the Wild

Gradually, the dirt path we were on disappeared, and we became fully immersed in the jungle.

Boi and Balang used their machetes to chop through any low branches that blocked our way. They moved fast and confidently even without a trail. I don’t know how they navigated in the seemingly uniform jungle, but we zig zagged through dark green bushes and over large stretches of area.

Unwelcome Guests

We crisscrossed shallow rivers, the waters coming up to our knees. My rubber shoes and leech socks were soaked.

It was then I encountered another wild creature: leeches. I felt a sting on my calf and looked down to find a jet black, wriggling leech attached to me. Even though I was wearing leech socks and rubber boots, one had still found a way to attack. The first leech bite made me feel a small sense of panic, wanting to remove it as fast as possible. I had to rip it off of my skin with some effort, revealing bite marks and a small wound that bled rapidly. Leeches have a blood thinner in their saliva, which I was made directly aware of based on how my blood flowed out. It was a harrowing experience, but then I noticed there were already two more that had attached themselves to me on other parts of my leg. After removing the first couple, the leeches became more of a nuisance than any real threat. Balang even demonstrated their harmlessness by purposely letting one bite him on the hand.

While at times it seemed like we were walking completely randomly in the thickets of the forest, eventually we came to a clearing on a hill. Here Boi pointed out some interesting stones and ceramic shards hidden among the vines. They were carved with a mysterious text and iconography that vaguely resembled Chinese.

There was even a large pot or kiln-like object as well. Balang explained that these were artifacts from a migration of tribes through the jungle. These objects were connected to the early ancestors of the Lundayeh tribe, and it is possible that they were remnants of some ancient trade routes or burial sites. I have read that Chinese ceramics from the Song and Ming dynasty have been found in archeological sites around Borneo. Another traveler shared his travel experiences encountering artifacts in the jungle near Long Pasia, with his description sounding extremely similar to what I had witnessed.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find any more information about the age or origin of the artifacts, but they left a deep impression on me. This was definitely the closest I got to feeling like Indiana Jones, uncovering priceless artifacts from a lost people in the middle of the jungle.

On the shore of one of the several rivers we crossed, we took a break and made lunch. Boi expertly started a fire in no time, pulling out a trusty skillet from his pack. Out came a packet of instant noodles and hardboiled eggs as well. Within minutes, we were enjoying an easy and tasty lunch. Having traversed uneven ground for some hours already, we all eagerly scarfed down the meal.

The Chase

With much of the day gone, the word was that we would be starting our way back to Long Pasia. However, a sudden rustle and squeal up ahead changed the entire energy of the party. Balang and Boi whispered quickly to each other and moved forward towards the sounds with a speed that was hard to keep up with. It was a wild boar! Even though we were several hours away from the village, Boi would not pass up the opportunity to lug home a trophy that could feed the entire village. So we went, periodically rushing and then halting in complete silence, listening.

On and on we went, through thicker and thicker plants. I could barely keep up and keep my balance. Then, Boi bade us all crouch down in the thick bushes surrounding us. I was breathing heavily but tried to be as silent as possible. Catching the sharpness and intensity in Boi and Balang’s glances to each other, I dared not make a sound. Boi carefully pulled out a little wooden instrument from his leather satchel. He blew into it, releasing a shrill baying sound into the air. He blew several times, trying to mimic the sound of a baby boar to attract the adult we had been chasing. After each time, he listened keenly, and the air was thick with anticipation. We continued moving and crouching slowly, but eventually our pace stopped. Boi had lost the trail of the boar and decided once and for all that it was time to head back. If I hadn’t been there, I imagine that Boi and Balang could have moved even faster and potentially caught their prey.

Instead, we headed back empty-handed. Having absolutely no sense of direction after our mad dash through the forest, I followed our guides in a sleepy trance. We had spent the entire day hiking on uneven ground, traversing rivers and slicing through brush. When I finally spotted the now familiar dirt paths that lead to Long Pasia, I was relieved.

I rested my tired legs and played with Boi’s children in the large communal living room. The aroma of leftover boar and freshly brewed coffee from the beans collected earlier filled the air of the long house. The smell offered me a sense of peace and contentment after an adventure-filled day in the jungle.